Magharebia (Washington DC)

Mali: AQIM, Ansar Al-Din Bosses Flee Kidal

30 January 2013
Photo: allAfrica.com
A French military transport plane. (file photo)

Malian and French forces recaptured Kidal on Wednesday (January 30th), forcing the main Islamist chiefs to flee their last holdout in northern Mali, AFP reported.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) katibat leader Abou Zeid and Ansar al-Din chief Iyad Ag Ghaly have reportedly retreated to the Adrar des Ifoghas mountain region bordering Algeria and Niger.

Meanwhile, at a donor conference in the Addis Ababa Tuesday, African leaders and international officials pledged more than 340m euros to support Mali.

Lack of cash and equipment has hampered the deployment of nearly 6,000 troops in the African-led force for Mali (AFISMA).

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InFocus

French Go It Alone in Northern Mali

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Sources say the Malian general staff were not aware of the French plan to enter the northern town of Kidal, one of the Islamist rebels' last remaining strongholds. Read more »